>Take a peek at:
>
>http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/rlogue/digital.htm
>
>Basically, Irish DTT viewers will be able to receive all 5 main UK channels (BBC N. Ireland & ITV-UTV). This is unfair to UK viewers on two counts:
>
>Firstly, the BBC will be able to take money from the digital subscriptions (as with UKTV and other BBC ventures),

This isn't really unfair - there are many people watching the BBC in the Irish Republic that are paying nothing to the BBC at present. This isn't fair to UK licence fee payers.

> and,
>secondly, the Irish free-2-air channels will still NOT be available to UK viewers -

There are actually 4 of them - RTE1, Network2, TV3 and TG4 - I live here in the Republic and I rarely watch these channels, except for the odd film and episodes of Friends (they always seem to have the episodes before Channel 4 and sometimes even before Sky).

The problem about these channels being available in the UK is one of rights - the UK stations don't want the the Irish stations to be available in the UK unless they have UK-rights clearance for the shows.

I don't think broadcasters in the Republic care about the UK stations being shown as they are so popular.

This seems to have been overcome for Northern Ireland - recently RTE1 and Network2 were added to ntl's digitalplus service in the province.

>note that they are deliberately using a different system to the UK, which basically stops people having a choice of services.

For a start, only a limited number of people in the UK would be able to receive the signal even if they had the correct equipment - mainly south and west NI plus maybe parts of Wales. Secondly, the system the Irish are using is actually superior by all accounts to the UK DTT system. But due to various delays, it won't be available until 2002 anyway.

I know there is 4 free-2-air channels in Eire, Richard! ! ! !

-But I stand by my point that if viewers in Rep. of Ireland can receive all UK main services, then UK viewers should be allowed to receive the main Irish channels. Digital broadcasting has the capacity to carry the extra services, and there should be no excuses from either the broadcasters or the authorities. The attitude that broadcasting stops at the border is outdated. I recently visited France, where you can get the digital Astra system, over 40 free-2-air channels serving different countries across the continent. The idea that it should be restricted by geography or language doesn't exist on the continent. Sky and others appear to be rapidly using digital to restrict access to services, particulary foreign broadcasting. This is totally unfair on the viewer - but then again, judging by the nationalist stance of the Murdoch press maybe that shouldn't be too surprising.

>The attitude that broadcasting stops at the border is outdated.
I would like this to be true - but I think it gets too complicated when TV rights are involved. Especially when OnDigital have paid money to shown Tuesday night Champions League matches. In Ireland, these are on Network 2. It is conceivable that people in Northern Ireland who can get Network 2 are big football fans, and if they were unable to watch it on Network 2 they would get OnDigital. If Network 2 was available throughout the UK, then they would have to pay for rights for the whole UK.

Sky and others appear to be rapidly using digital to restrict access to services,

Certainly, the UK is very restictive, and I think Sky, the BBC and ITV are to blame for this. But on the other hand, you can understand them wanting to protect their markets.

Luckilly the same isn't the case (to the same extent) with Radio and I can happilly listen to Radio 1 here in ROI.